Episode 1.6 Food Allergies Bite - The Middle School Mind

On this podcast episode, Son talks how having food allergies can be challenging for kids. We talk about his food allergies to certain tree nuts and certain seeds like sesame and sunflower seeds.

On this podcast for kids, we talk about what food allergies are, how he manages his food allergies at school, how he keeps himself safe with his Epipen and that one time he was Epipenned years ago at daycare.

Finally, we play a quick multiple choice game about food allergies.

In this episode, we talk about:

1. What is a food allergy?

There are the “Big 8” allergens that companies in the US must report on in food labels. Milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.

Graphic highlights the top 8 major food allergens that US companies must report on in food labels — Image courtesy of the FDA.

2. We go off on a tangent and talk about Soy Butter (we buy Wowbutter at home) versus Peanut Butter sandwiches.

Image of soy and peanut butter containers which may present challenges for kids with food allergies — Battle of the butters – soy vs peanut. Image courtesy of Food Network.

3. Son talks about his food allergies to tree nuts and certain seeds (sesame seeds and sunflower seeds).

4. We talk about managing food allergies when he was in grammar school and challenges sitting at the “peanut-free table“.

Image of a peanut-free table that some schools have - this may offer kids with food allergies a safer option but may also lead to feeling ostracized from their classmates — Image courtesy of the Chicago Tribune.

5. We go off on another tangent reminiscing about Beyblades and its popularity when Son and his friends were in 1st and 2nd grade.

Beyblades was a big thing for Son and his friends in 1st and 2nd grade. Image courtesy of TimRylands.com.

6. We get back on track to talk about how managing food allergies works now in Middle School and how the lunch staff does not have the right training to communicate to kids with allergies.

Image of a school cafeteria - many food service workers may need additional training to understand food allergies and how to help kids with various allergies — The lunch staff at schools may not have adequate information for each of the entrees to communicate potential allergen to students. Image courtesy of the NY Daily News.

7. Son talks about when to use an Epipen, how to use an Epipen and what do do after using an Epipen.

Epipens are an important part of Son’s care plan and can also cost a lot of money. Here are some resources to help you get Epipens at a reduced cost.

8. We talk about that horrible experience at daycare when Son was 3 when he was given hummus and had to be Epipenned.

Son was served Hummus at his daycare during snack time. He had to be EpiPenned after he had an allergic reaction to the tahini (sesame paste) in hummus. The daycare staff was not properly trained to know the allergens and the action plan with Epipens when a child has an allergic reaction. Image courtesy of Sabra.

9. We play a quick game. Four multiple choices about allergens in every day foods. Here’s where we got a lot of the great information used in our game.

Please note, we are not physicians or properly trained to dispense medical advice. If you have questions about food allergies, please consult a medical professional for advice. For additional information available online, the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) has amazing content.

https://www.foodallergy.org/

Thanks to all of our listeners. We appreciate your support!

The Middle School Mind podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Amazon Music. Please like, share a positive comment and subscribe to The Middle School Mind podcast!

If you want to listen to more episodes talking about life in school, take a listen to our episode on The School Resource Officer and all the information they have to keep kids safe on-line and in real life!

Special Thanks

MyInstants.com “ding” and “buzzer” sound effects used during our Game or No Game segment
“One Day Soon” by Smith the Mister is the opening and ending song for The Middle School Mind podcast

For more episodes of The Middle School Mind podcast, check out our latest podcasts below

Bonus Episode: 1.1 Hello World! Relisten – The Middle School Mind

In this bonus episode of The ⁠Middle School Mind⁠ podcast, Father and Son take a listen back to our very first episode, Hello World when he was early in his 6th grade year as a fresh-faced middles schooler. It's a fun way to poke fun and reminisce about our time making the podcast. This is the final, final episode of The Middle School Mind podcast and thank you to all who were part of this amazing ride. For all you middle school kids out there listening to us. You can make your own podcast easily. You guys have amazing ideas and get your voices out there! — Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/themiddleschoolmind/support